If USA hockey has any balls they will demand the dissolution of Team NA before the next World Cup
- feetontheair22

This tournament means crap to me, I don't care who wins.

Its exhibition hockey in the summertime, which is cool.
Just don't let any Sabres player get hurt.

Jack Eichel finishing this tournament healthy is a bigger win to me than USA winning anything.

This tournament means crap to me, I don't care who wins.

Its exhibition hockey in the summertime, which is cool.
Just don't let any Sabres player get hurt.

Jack Eichel finishing this tournament healthy is a bigger win to me than USA winning anything.
- ImThatGuy

I feel the same way. I was happy for O'Reilly for getting selected when Seguin went down, but at the same time, I hated that he got picked because that was another guy to worry about getting hurt during this.

The article doesn't suggest USA hockey, as a sport, is on life support. It say USA HOCKEY, as an organization, is on life support. And the reason it says so is the same things we have been female doging about in these threads:

USA Hockey has been exposed as a behind-the-times, knuckle-dragging, out-of-touch entity in desperate need of an organizational philosophy shift out of 1996 to 2016, because the assembling and usage of this current roster is nothing short of shameful

The article isn't saying there is no American talent. It's saying the governing organization didn't pick it.
- SomeoneGerman

Let's be fair though, John Tortarella is an NHL coach. He isn't a 1996 re-tread.

Dean Lombardi is a current NHL GM who was won 2 cups pretty recently.

IMO this is a giant over reaction. Justin Abdelkader did not deserve to be there, which is a fair criticism. Although, I believe he has more goals than Bobby Ryan over the past two seasons.

It's not like they literally picked goons to try and fight the other teams.

I feel the same way. I was happy for O'Reilly for getting selected when Seguin went down, but at the same time, I hated that he got picked because that was another guy to worry about getting hurt during this.
- HonkFortheGoose

the worst part, has yet to be mentioned

if the sabres make the playoffs, how will it effect risto, eichel, and ror

Let's be fair though, John Tortarella is an NHL coach. He isn't a 1996 re-tread.

Dean Lombardi is a current NHL GM who was won 2 cups pretty recently.

IMO this is a giant over reaction. Justin Abdelkader did not deserve to be there, which is a fair criticism. Although, I believe he has more goals than Bobby Ryan over the past two seasons.

It's not like they literally picked goons to try and fight the other teams.
- sbroads24

you need skill to win these short tourneys

team usa tries to ice a team, instead of getting the best players

this isn't like 1980 when brooks has months to develop a team, throw a bunch of players together and see who works well together to get your lines

until the brass for team usa gets this, keep all expectations really low

the worst part, has yet to be mentioned

if the sabres make the playoffs, how will it effect risto, eichel, and ror
- homiedclown

Eichel and Reinhart are, dare i say, superstars. They're going to get paid no matter what because they're going to produce no matter what. Risto is a different story but Im willing to pay that price if he takes that next step. Hes the kind of player you want to overpay.

Eichel and Reinhart are, dare i say, superstars. They're going to get paid no matter what because they're going to produce no matter what. Risto is a different story but Im willing to pay that price if he takes that next step. Hes the kind of player you want to overpay.
- Sabresfan-365

I meant with all these extra games, tired legs in april/may?

the worst part, has yet to be mentioned

if the sabres make the playoffs, how will it effect risto, eichel, and ror
- homiedclown

Yeah. Makes for a longer season. And it's already a pretty long one to begin with.

But do u think Bailey would actually play on the 3rd line ahead of Gionta?
Even though he's probably better at this point,
I'm thinking Gionta would get the nod as a vet

Seems to me that Bailey should start in Rochester, play on the top line & continue to develop his skills.
He'd likely be the 1st call up, so he'll still get a decent amount of NHL time

Then next year he can make the team full time
Nylander also
Let them play the wings on the 3rd line to ease them in a bit
They can take the place of Gionta and (hopefully) Moulson
- jdfitz77

If you look at it like that, sure. But if you look at it as "who works with whom?" Bailey should get that spot. I agree 100% with Pach's lines, because your 4th now looks like, spoiler alert, Foligno-Larsson-Gionta. If you're trying to keep them together since they work well together you need that player who can play next to Moulson and Z.

You can call it the 3rd line or it can be the 4th line or whatever. Each of those lines will probably get 12-15 minutes a night, depending how the game is going. The top 2 lines will get their heavy minutes with, imo, ROR's carrying the load at least to start.

But, on the other hand, if Bailey is the first call-up that won't be the end of the world either. He goes to Rochester, hopefully goes on the same tear he did last year, and then plays his way to the big club.

you need skill to win these short tourneys

team usa tries to ice a team, instead of getting the best players

this isn't like 1980 when brooks has months to develop a team, throw a bunch of players together and see who works well together to get your lines

until the brass for team usa gets this, keep all expectations really low
- homiedclown

They all do though.

They all do though.
- sbroads24

nah

way more skill on the bottom half of other rosters, if they have talent up front


finland is the exception

I meant with all these extra games, tired legs in april/may?
- homiedclown

Oh my bad


Although I suppose same answer. I think as long as ice time is controlled throughout the year they should be fine.

the worst part, has yet to be mentioned

if the sabres make the playoffs, how will it effect risto, eichel, and ror
- homiedclown

If the Sabres make the playoffs we count that as a win. After that, anything can happen. It's a very long season and the WCOH makes it longer but the good thing is we have youth. They'll have to adjust but I've got to assume it's easier to get yourself psyched up for a playoff hockey game, especially the first one that most of this team has ever been in.

Sabres players that have never made the playoffs:
Risto, Eichel, Sam, Kane, Girgensons, Larsson, McCabe, Deslauries, Bogosian.

Yeah. Makes for a longer season. And it's already a pretty long one to begin with.
- HonkFortheGoose

We're not the only ones in it, though, so all the other teams have to worry about it too. Look at TB who has something crazy like 12 players in the WC. We have O'Reilly and Kulikov who will potentially move on, and the Jack and Risto who will be done early and go to training camp right after this. It's a long season and these are big games but if anything it could help get them into the season feel earlier

nah

way more skill on the bottom half of other rosters, if they have talent up front


finland is the exception
- homiedclown

If Canada was just taking skill, Hall and Subban would he there, and Boumeester and O'Reilly wouldn't

If Canada was just taking skill, Hall and Subban would he there, and Boumeester and O'Reilly wouldn't
- sbroads24

Lazy, though.

That's the exact reason I'm not panicking about it. But I don't think we can afford to keep moving guys out at this point either.

I think my main concern is that at some point, we may very well be in the boat that Chicago is in and will need that depth to fill out our roster, because I don't feasibly see how they're going to be able to afford everyone.
- HonkFortheGoose

That's certainly the goal
But we won't be in a "Chicago" like situation for quite a few years
We just have to keep developing our 1st & 2nd round picks & we should be just fine IMO

I think we would be better served with Bailey in the lineup on the third line with Gionta on the 4th but Bylsma wouldn't do it. Based on the production they got from the Foligno-Larsson-Gionta line at the end of the year, they should really keep it together as the 4th line
- mattmoulson

I agree with all that
Except I think it's better for Bailey long term to play another year in AHL
I don't wanna rush him

If Canada was just taking skill, Hall and Subban would he there, and Boumeester and O'Reilly wouldn't
- sbroads24

hall should have been there

he may be the second best lw in the game today

We're not the only ones in it, though, so all the other teams have to worry about it too. Look at TB who has something crazy like 12 players in the WC. We have O'Reilly and Kulikov who will potentially move on, and the Jack and Risto who will be done early and go to training camp right after this. It's a long season and these are big games but if anything it could help get them into the season feel earlier
- Zschalberg

Thought Team NA still had a chance?

the worst part, has yet to be mentioned

if the sabres make the playoffs, how will it effect risto, eichel, and ror
- homiedclown

An extra 6-8 games...
I'm not worried about that tiring them out

And they prob won't play a lot preseason bc they should already be warmed up from this tourney

That's certainly the goal
But we won't be in a "Chicago" like situation for quite a few years
We just have to keep developing our 1st & 2nd round picks & we should be just fine IMO
- jdfitz77

That's why it's important to start getting the guys in the pipe so that in 3-4 years you have the option to trade guys and bring other ones up to fill their role. It's going to be awhile before we have to worry about it, but you need to be thinking about it now and getting prepared for it in case it happens. If you don't end up with that, at least you have options in terms of trading the guys that are ready to make the jump as well. It's a win-win in my opinion.

If you look at it like that, sure. But if you look at it as "who works with whom?" Bailey should get that spot. I agree 100% with Pach's lines, because your 4th now looks like, spoiler alert, Foligno-Larsson-Gionta. If you're trying to keep them together since they work well together you need that player who can play next to Moulson and Z.

You can call it the 3rd line or it can be the 4th line or whatever. Each of those lines will probably get 12-15 minutes a night, depending how the game is going. The top 2 lines will get their heavy minutes with, imo, ROR's carrying the load at least to start.

But, on the other hand, if Bailey is the first call-up that won't be the end of the world either. He goes to Rochester, hopefully goes on the same tear he did last year, and then plays his way to the big club.
- Zschalberg

I personally like the Detroit model where they don't bring players up until they're AHL stars (for the most part)

Whether it's Bailey or Gionta on our 3rd line,
That won't be what determines if we make or miss the playoffs

So the #1 concern has to be what's best for Bailey's development long term
I think that's another year in the AHL

That's why it's important to start getting the guys in the pipe so that in 3-4 years you have the option to trade guys and bring other ones up to fill their role. It's going to be awhile before we have to worry about it, but you need to be thinking about it now and getting prepared for it in case it happens. If you don't end up with that, at least you have options in terms of trading the guys that are ready to make the jump as well. It's a win-win in my opinion.
- HonkFortheGoose

That's where last year's draft & this past draft will come into play for the most part
Also, like Detroit, we need to continue to develop player once they do come up

Example: Abdelkader played on the 4th line for a few years & gradually made his way up to be a top6 guy who can score
Some guys we have that might develop that way:
Baptiste, Rodrigues, Cornel, Asplund, Estephan, Malone, Olofsson, Carrier, Possler, Karabacek (I don't like him though), Hurley... All pretty talented guys

Ugh, McDavid is a freak